On March 8, a district and sessions court in Islamabad sent journalist and YouTuber Asad Toor to jail on a 14-day judicial remand. This decision came after the court rejected a request by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for an extension of Toor’s physical custody.

The FIA had sought additional time for investigations and to recover electronic devices from Toor. He stands accused of running a social media campaign against the judiciary, inciting anti-state sentiment, and violating the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) of 2016. Toor was arrested by the FIA’s Cyber Crime Wing on February 26 in response to a series of notices issued to him.

After hearing arguments, Judicial Magistrate Shabbir Bhatti rejected the FIA’s request of four-day remand extension and sent the journalist to Adiala Jail on 14-day judicial remand.

Toor was initially remanded into FIA custody for five days on February 27 by Judicial Magistrate Islamabad Muhammad Shabbir.  The remand was later extended to three more days.

Separate Appeal Disposed

In a related hearing on the same day, Additional Sessions Judge Tahir Abbas Supra rejected an appeal seeking Asad Toor’s dismissal from the case. Toor’s legal team had argued that he had already been extensively interrogated and his electronic devices confiscated, asserting that there was no basis for extending his physical remand.

The FIA prosecutor had alleged that Toor’s social media posts and vlogs were financially motivated. However, Toor’s lawyers maintained that the content primarily focused on alleged electoral irregularities. The judge ultimately disposed of the appeal for dismissal and ordered his appearance in court on March 22.

The post Journalist Asad Toor Sent to Adiala Jail on Judicial Remand first appeared on Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF).